The present invention relates to an apparatus for handling sheets of paper, and more particularly, to an apparatus for handling sheets of paper which is suitable for use in automated cash handling transactions involving depositing and drawing out bank notes.
FIG. 1 shows a known apparatus of this type. In the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, bank notes are taken out of an apparatus 30 (paid out) from a port section 36 in the following manner. The notes accommodated in cassettes 31, 32 are separated and counted at separating/accumulating sections 37, 38. The notes are then carried to the port section 36 one by one while being held by a belt 33 without being checked at a checking section 35. The notes are received from the port section (accepted as a deposit) in the following manner. The notes to be deposited which are placed at the port 36 are separated at a separating section 39, checked and counted at the checking section 35 while being held by the belt 33, and are accumulated in the cassettes 31, 32 by the separating/accumulating sections 37, 38.
In the apparatus described above, a large number of conveying routes need to be provided in a fixed manner by employing the belts 33 and rollers 34 between components including the cassettes 31, 32, the checking section 35 and the port section 36 in order to deliver the sheets of paper among these components. This increases the production cost of the conveying routes. Since these conveying routes are fixed, it is difficult to change their courses when modifying the specifications of the apparatus or expanding the functions thereof. In a case of changing them, much time and trouble are required to adjust the conveying routes. The papers are carried one by one in the apparatus, so that it takes much time to carry a large number of papers. This also increases the risk of paper being jammed at an intermediate point along the conveying routes. The apparatus uses separate paper separating/counting devices when the notes are deposited and drawn out. This increases the number of components and makes the mechanism complicated.